Ngā Hapori Momoho – Thriving Communities Grant

This grant programme’s priority is to build a Tāmaki Makaurau where:

• all whānau have everything they need to live a good life
• diversity is celebrated
• all Aucklanders feel as though they belong.

We want a future where communities work together to take action on the things they care about and where they love and care for the environment. Ngā Hapori Momoho – Thriving Communities is our plan to achieve that future.

Ngā Hapori Momoho – Thriving Communities grants are available for organisations across Tāmaki Makaurau to support community-led approaches that support key outcomes of the plan.

The maximum grant is $30,000 from a total of $300,000 available.

We invest in activities that fulfil our Te Tiriti obligation to ensure that Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau enjoy the same wellbeing outcomes as other Aucklanders.

We enable Mana Māori Motuhake by investing in by-Māori for-Māori solutions. There is scoring based on whether your project delivers outcomes which seek to empower whānau Māori to be resilient, confident and successful.

Your organisation/group must:

• be available and accessible to all Aucklanders
• provide a service, project and/or activity that is regional in scale (like running a programme across multiple sites)
• address at least one of the three regionally determined funding priorities.

They must also:

• have a formal legal structure (be a registered not-for-profit, iwi or Māori trust, charitable or voluntary organisation), or
• identify an umbrella organisation A registered charity, trust, or incorporated society that agrees to receive and manage the grant on your behalf. with a legal structure to receive and administer the grant, and be legally accountable to us for the expenditure of it.

The grants programme is not intended for repeat funding of an organisation or their work/projects. We will give priority to those who have not received Ngā Hapori Momoho funding in the past two grant rounds.

Learn more about what is considered regional on the Eligibility for a regional grant page.

• Community

$0 - $30,000

All Aucklanders should have enough income to cover their expenses and live well. They should have enough money saved to cover emergencies and to achieve their future financial goals.

When whānau don't have this security, it:

• impacts on their health and wellbeing
• reduces their ability to access opportunities
• prevents them from living fulfilling lives and participating in community life.

When Aucklanders enjoy good physical and mental health, they are happier, healthier and more able to participate in activities that they value.

Health starts in our homes, schools, workplaces, neighbourhoods and communities. Income, employment, housing and community connectedness are all major drivers of physical and mental health.

The conditions in which whānau live explains in part why some Aucklanders are healthier than others and why Aucklanders more generally are not as healthy as they could be.

Tāmaki Makaurau will not be successful unless all Aucklanders feel as though they belong and can participate in society.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi provides the basis for all people to belong to Aotearoa. Embracing Te Tiriti as the basis for an intercultural Tāmaki Makaurau contributes to our shared identity and sense of belonging.

As our population grows and changes, it is important that we continue to nurture and support our diverse community identities and ensure all Aucklanders feel involved and connected.

Many Aucklanders already have a strong sense of community connection and belonging. Some, however, experience loneliness and isolation, which impacts their self-esteem and wellbeing.

We need to create more opportunities for people of different ages, cultures and backgrounds to connect and adapt to our changing communities.

• Debt servicing or repayment.
• Legal expenses.
• Activities that promote religious ministry or political purposes.
• Medical expenses.
• Public services that are the responsibility of central government such as core education, primary health care.
• Physical works like improvements to community buildings – that require consents or permits, prior to the necessary consents or permits being obtained. Grants may be awarded in principle but funds will not be released until all conditions are satisfied.
• Purchase of alcohol.
• Travel and accommodation outside Auckland unless we are convinced there will be a tangible benefit for Aucklanders.
• Retrospective costs (where the activity has already taken place) unless this is necessary as a condition of the grant or we are satisfied there are other mitigating circumstances.
• Fundraising events or activities, especially where the beneficiary is a third party (such as charity events, sponsored walks), unless we determine the event has a wider community benefit beyond its primary purpose as a fundraiser.

Applications are open from 1 December 2025 to 22 February 2026.

Email NHMGrants@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz well before the grant round closes if you need help preparing or lodging your application.